The realm of exercise and fitness regimes is becoming an increasingly specialist area, especially when considering the necessary and relevant equipment available to the average consumer. It isn’t difficult to find a slew of different exercise bikes to choose from, so in order to add some clarity to this scope, we raise the question: is the Schwinn 250 Recumbent Exercise bike the ideal product on the market?

Why a Schwinn model over other options?

The name of Schwinn has long been a monolithic title in the area of the bicycle market. Founded by German mechanical engineer Ignaz Schwinn in 1985, the Schwinn business dominated the American bike market for much of the 20th century.

During the economic decline at the latter end of the century, as more modern vehicles became increasingly advanced and affordable, the bicycle market began to suffer. Even during these waning days, however, Schwinn remained amidst the top three motorcycle companies on the globe, beside Harley Davidson and Indian.

With this rich history of success and power behind it, as well as evidence of the technical significance of their products, Schwinn remain a serious name to this day. Among the offshoots of the company, early model exercise bicycles were a consistent seller; showing the robustness and respect held for the company’s design and engineering capability. This being said, the Schwinn 250 model stands out from the competition and warrants a thorough review, in order to guide the potential customer.

How does the 250 compare with other bikes of its ilk?

The Schwinn 250 Recumbent bike exists as part of a range of similar models produced by the company, namely the 270, 230, 220 and A20, and has been well respected since it hit the markets.

The 250 in particular is designed to be used as part of a low-impact, casual exercise regime – geared towards beginners, pregnant mothers or those in rehabilitation from a physical injury. The adaptability of the model has seen praise, owing to its user friendly customization of the physical elements (adjustments of the seating platform and a computer console), as well as a number of thoughtful add-ons, such as a water holder, air fan and an ergonomically sound pedal size to accommodate many different users.

Although boasting a range of different regimes, such as 17 pre-set workout programs and an additional 16 resistance levels to sift through, the 250 model is regarded as a more casual exercise tool. If compared to the 270 model, for example, things are put into perspective. The latter model boasts similar physical traits, but increased customization for saddle and back supports, and a leaner overall frame. Additionally, the 270 has 29 pre-set exercise programs and 25 resistance levels, giving more nuance to the fitness regimes available to the user.

It all comes down to a matter of preference and practicality, however. The Schwinn 250 Recumbent Exercise Bike is one of the best exercise bikes available for the more relaxed or amateur consumer, whereas the 270 will deliver a much more strenuous, honed work-out for the experienced, dedicated fitness addict. If you are still in doubt on whether the Schwinn 250 is right for you, take a look at the recumbent bike comparison chart by PickMyBikes.com

The pros of the Schwinn 250 Recumbent Exercise Bike

Fundamentally, Schwinn have over a century of trusted and respected bicycling products to their name. A Schwinn product, of any model, is generally believed to be one of the most robust, well-made machines available, over other brand names.

The 250 model is a widely accessible piece of kit, with overly ergonomic seating and pedal sizes; meaning you can, most probably, purchase this product with the confidence that it will meet your physical needs without any heavy adjustment or measurements beforehand – although it is customizable to an extent.

By examining the overall consensus of Amazon customers, the Schwinn 250 appears to fare well, with most customers delivering positive feedback. The majority of positive consumers cite the ease of setup and accessibility of the various programs and resistances as the main advantages of this machine in lieu of other companies. Furthermore, the ergonomically designed seating is often praised as an improvement from the earlier 240 series, with one customer stating: ‘I found the seat to be exceptionally comfortable’ and adding that it was wide enough to accommodate both herself and her husband.

Another common point of approval is that of the affordable price of the 250 model, most customers appear pleased with the value in regards to the level of different exercise regimes found in the pre-set console.

The cons of the Schwinn 250 Recumbent Exercise Bike

As with all products, there are those that have had a less than acceptable experience with the bike, however. In particular, again amidst Amazon reviews, one customer highlights a ‘known flaw’ in regards to an electronic sensor within the machinery which analyses every rotation of the bicycle wheel. After nearly a year of frequent use, the customer’s sensor had broken away and proved exceedingly difficult to repair. Further still, he mentions an unpleasant customer service representative, who had little in the way of helpful information when contacted.

A prominent thread of criticism found on Walmart’s customer reviews of the Schwinn 250 gives mention to the packaging and delivery of the bike, often arriving with broken pieces or dishevelled boxing. Naturally, this could be argued as an issue with the delivery service of Walmart instead of an issue with the Schwinn company, but is still a consistent concern among a high number of customers, nonetheless.

For any customers who regularly exercise or are looking for a rigorous workout machine, the Schwinn 250 will likely seem primitive and lacking in substance. This bike is very much a layman’s exercise utensil, catered for those who are either inexperienced or unable to partake in long-term, frequent fitness regimes. The issue with purchasing a later, more specialist model, becomes a higher price-tag, however.

Overall, the Schwinn 250 Recumbent Exercise Bike appears to be a very capable and respectable product for those looking for a mid-range fitness tool. It boasts enough variety and nuance to set itself apart from the more basic range of exercise bikes on the market, as well as coming from a historically sturdy manufacturer. Customers will be hard pressed to find a more accessible product of its caliber in a similar price range.

However, those looking for something more strenuous or all-encompassing would be better off looking at a higher grade model of bike, such as the Schwinn 270.

Most of the new parents are worried about the safety of their babies, especially during the nights when they are left alone in the cradle. In fact, the parents worry so much that they don’t even get a good night’s sleep, worrying whether the kid will wake up in between. Even though the parents try to train the kids by making them sleep alone in their own rooms, the thoughts are usually always focused on them. And, for such things and to free you from the worries, there are baby monitors that can help in monitoring the baby’s movements and you can have some peaceful sleep. Read the Angelcare baby monitor and sound monitor review given below which will help you in deciding about this product.

The clarity of these baby monitors is above average and they have resistance to all interference.

It has a really good setup and will suit really well if you do not require 2 parents units.

It also has a temperature feature which will monitor the temperature in the baby’s room.

They are very low in cost and are quite affordable.

You will find out that Angelcare baby monitors are really top class monitors and offer a great range and clarity and it has the ability for avoiding interference of any kinds. And, you will not find such an affordable monitor anywhere else. All other baby monitors have problems with interference but this monitor is really great and the clarity is absolutely good.

When the parents leave the babies in cradles in the other rooms, they are always worried about what the baby would be up to. Also, they keep worrying if the baby has woken up or is crying. Instead of going to check on your babies all the time and disturbing your sleep, you can set up this baby monitor so that you can also have a peaceful sleep and will be woken up by the monitor if your baby makes a sound.

The best thing about Angelcare baby monitor is that it is really light on the pocket and will not pinch your wallet heavily. And, you get all the best features on this too. It provides a fantastic range indoors and is the best possible product available at the cheapest price. The range indoors is almost 3300 feet which is quite good. And, of course, when one compares the clarity of the sounds, this product will definitely stand out compared to the competition.

Ladies and gentlemen, the launch date is quickly approaching for T-Mobile USA’s shiny new flagship phone. The Android taunting HTC Dream is set to launch on October 13th, 2008 (confirmed)[props to the guys over at TmoNews for getting it right!]. Yes, that means that in less than 8 weeks, you can finally have the phone in your hands!

So what about the whole Pre-order rumors we keep hearing about?

Well, those rumors are true too! [hats down to TmoNews again on that one]. On September 17th (confirmed), T-Mobile has scheduled to make an announcement about the availability of the Dream for pre-order to existing customers. Effective that same day, existing T-Mobile customers will be able to pre-order the phone. Pre-orders will end October 3, 2008 at 5pm EST.

Who can pre-order this bad boy?

Only existing customers will be able to pre-order the phone. Pre-order will not be available to FlexPay, Prepaid, or Employees.

How do I pre-order my new baby?

Pre-orders will ONLY be done online. MyT-Mobile.com will have an area to re-direct you to the order site. That site will only handle phone orders, not accessories. If you wish to buy accessories, T-Mobile.com will handle that job (not myt-mobile.com)

I heard I had to have an expensive feature added on to my plan, that’s a deal breaker for me!

Actually, a feature will be required, but it’s not expensive at all. To features will be available for the device, the first will be $35 and will include Unlimited Data & Messaging. If you thing about it, T-Mobile currently offers Internet for 20 bucks and Messaging for 15 bucks (20+15=35) so really its actually the same price. They will also offer a $25 feature that will include Unlimited Data & 400 Messaging for those people who don’t do much messaging.

In addition to the phone price, you will have to pay an upgrade fee of $18. There will be NO shipping fee. A Gmail account will be required for the phone to work. You will receive the phone the day it launches (Oct. 13, 2008).

Good news for the Sony Ericsson fans out there. The guys at CNET have gotten some face time with the latest (read: only one in years) upcoming Sony Ericsson device from T-Mobile, due out on the 3rd of September. I know from reading other reviews on CNET that at times they aren’t the best source for reviews, but any early review is a good review in my book.
The good:The Sony Ericsson TM506 has a sleek, easy-to-use design with a brilliant display. Its functional feature set includes world 3G support, a camera, a music player, and Assisted GPS.The bad:The Sony Ericsson TM506’s external display is small with limited functionality. It supports only three GSM bands and the speakerphone quality is mediocre.